System for preparing wire harness production

ABSTRACT

In a system for preparing a wire harness production, a modified wiring pattern generator generates modified wire harness wiring pattern information related to at least one second pattern in which at least one of parts, electric circuits, and wirings of a first pattern including the parts, the electric circuits, and the wirings of a standard type vehicle is altered. A parts information storage stores parts specification information including specifications of the parts, the electric circuits and the wiring included in the second patterns. A simulator simulates whether each of the second patterns is practical while referring to the parts specification information. A sub wiring pattern modifier modifies at least one of first sub patterns constituting the first pattern to at least one of second sub patterns so as to constitute the second pattern judged as practical by the simulator. A jig arrangement pattern information generator generates jig arrangement pattern information related to jig arrangement patterns prepared by applying at least one sub jig arrangement pattern to each of a plurality of wire harness path patterns of the standard type vehicle included in wire harness path pattern information. Path decision information selects one wire harness path pattern among the plurality of wire harness path patterns. Alternation information indicates at least one of alternation portions altered from the first pattern. A jig arrangement pattern selector selects one jig arrangement pattern corresponding to the selected wire harness path pattern among the plurality of wire harness path patterns. A path plan generator generates a path plan by integrating the modified second sub pattern having the alternation portions which is indicated in the alternation information and the selected jig arrangement pattern.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a system for preparing a wireharness production and, more particularly, to a system for preparing aproduction of a vehicle wire harness.

In preparation for production of a wire harness to be wired in avehicle, inefficient interchanges of various information and repetitionsof such interchanges occur between a design department and a productiondepartment, or between a carmaker and a parts maker. This causes aproblem that such production preparation needs a very long preparationperiod. This problem is described below with reference to FIG. 10.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of anoperation to be performed in a production preparation time in whichpreparation for production of a related vehicle wire harness isperformed. At a design department shown in FIG. 10, during this time,for example, design, fabrication, and evaluation of a wire harness areperformed for the production preparation. On the other hand, at aproduction department, for instance, manufacturing drawing, assembly-jigdrawing and process study are performed. Incidentally, the designdepartment and the production department may be present in the samecompany. However, alternatively, the design department and theproduction department may be provided so that the design department isprovided in a carmaker, while the production department is provided in aparts maker commissioned by the carmaker to produce wire harnesses.

In this production preparation time, as described in step S1 a shown inFIG. 10, first, the design department makes design department diagramsreferred to as, for example, a wire-harness skeleton diagram, anintraconnector terminal wiring diagram, and a circuit informationdiagram according to circuit diagrams consisting of system wiringdiagrams, which describe relevant electric circuits, path diagrams,which describe wiring paths of a wire harness, and specifications andassociated data. Then, such design department diagrams are provided fromthe design department to the production department.

In the production department receiving this design department diagrams,the preparation, checking and review of various drawings, and the studyof a wire harness process are performed in a production preparationprocess P1. At a stage of preparing various drawings, wire harnessproduction drawings, subdrawings, and jig drawings are preparedaccording to the design department drawings received from the designdepartment. Incidentally, a processing drawing and wire specificationsare cited as the wire harness production drawings. A sub numberedsub-assembly drawing is cited as the subdrawing. A jig layout drawing, ajig production drawing and a component list are cited as the jigdrawings. Further, product cost accounts are cited as other drawings.

Moreover, at a checking stage of the production preparation process P1,the preparation of a working drawing for an inspection table, operatinginstructions, and an important point drawing is performed by referringto the design department drawings. Furthermore, at a study stage,product study, workability verification, and evaluation, and productionsystem study are performed. At the product study, study of dimensionalsetting of wire correction of protectors, study of the size anddimensions of a protective layer, and study of style of packing areperformed. At the workability study, evaluation of wiring procedure andtime, evaluation of working procedure and time, and evaluation of layoutof the inspection table are performed. Further, at the production systemstudy, pressure-welding and production facility study and manufacturingsystem study are performed. Furthermore, at the wire harness processstudy, wire harness process layout and contact study are performed.Particularly, line design, which concerns personnel assignment and workdistribution, and facility evaluation, which concerns the number offacilities and also concerns production patterns, are performed.

Incidentally, irregular change requests issued from the designdepartment are taken into consideration in the study and evaluation.Further, upon completion of such various studies and evaluations, theproduction department feeds back results thereof to the designdepartment as demands.

In parallel with the production preparation process P1 of the productiondepartment, in step S1b, the design department performs wire harnessdesign, which includes study of wiring of a wire harness circuit and apath, and assembly and evaluation of an actual car. Then, each time whenchange processing to be performed occurs, the change request is issuedto the production department. Further, the design department preparesdesign department drawings again in step S2 a by referring to thedemands fed back from the design department. Subsequently, the designdepartment provides the prepared design department drawings to theproduction department.

Then, when receiving the design department drawings, the productiondepartment performs a production preparation process P2 similar to theproduction preparation process P1 again. Similarly, the designdepartment performs the wire harness design and the assembly andevaluation of an actual car again in step S2 b, and issues a changerequest to the production department again, if necessary. Such processesto be respectively performed at the design department and the productiondepartment, and interactions therebetween are repeatedly performed untila production preparation process P3 based on the design departmentdrawing prepared by the design department in step S3 a and on the changerequest issued according to the wire harness design and to the assemblyand evaluation of an actual car is finished so that the productiondepartment feeds back no demands to the design department.

When such processes, which relate to the preparation for production of awire harness and are performed in the design department and theproduction department, and the interactions between both the departmentsare finished, the production department arranges provisions, such asnecessary members and jigs, in step P4. Then, in step P5, the appointedproduction department performs practical production of a wire harnessaccording to a predetermined manufacturing process. Furthermore, uponcompletion of production of a wire harness of a predetermined part of apredetermined type of vehicle, the production department makes shipmentof the wire harness in step P6.

As described above, in the preparation of production of a wire harness,there are various processes, which are performed in the designdepartment and the production department, and interactions to beperformed therebetween. Further, it is frequent that similar processesand interactions are repeatedly performed. Thus, the productionpreparation is time-consuming and needs a large number of man-hours.Further, preparations of production of a wire harness, whichrespectively correspond to the types of vehicle, are performedseparately from one another. Consequently, such production preparationdoes not effectively utilize a great number of similar databases. Moreparticularly, the design department of such a related system hasdrawbacks in that it takes time to prepare the design departmentdrawings, that a wire harness shown in a scheme drawing does notcorrespond with an actual one at the assembly and evaluation, and that adiameter of a wire harness, which is based on a path plan, often differsfrom that of an actual wire harness. Moreover, the production departmentof the related system has many drawbacks in that the productiondepartment cannot start a preparation process without the designdepartment drawing, and that there are many hindrances to reduction in apreparation time, for example, many manual operations are caused andmany iterative tasks are generated correspondingly to various kinds ofinspections, studies and change requests.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a systemfor preparing a wire harness production enabled to considerably reducetime needed for preparation for production of a wire harness bypromoting the sharing and standardization of a database and bysubstantially reducing iterative tasks.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the presentinvention, there is provided the system for preparing a wire harnessproduction comprising:

-   -   standard wire harness wiring pattern information related to a        first pattern including parts, electric circuits, and wirings of        a standard type vehicle;    -   a modified wiring pattern generator, which generates modified        wire harness wiring pattern information related to at least one        second pattern in which at least one of the parts, the electric        circuits, and the wirings of the first pattern is altered;    -   a parts information storage, which stores parts specification        information including specifications of the parts, the electric        circuits and the wiring included in the second patterns;    -   a simulator, which simulates whether each of the second patterns        is practical while referring to the parts specification        information;    -   a sub wiring pattern modifier, which modifies at least one of        first sub patterns constituting the first pattern to at least        one of second sub patterns so as to constitute the second        pattern judged as practical by the simulator;    -   wire harness path pattern information related to a plurality of        wire harness path patterns of the standard type vehicle;    -   a jig arrangement pattern information generator, which generates        jig arrangement pattern information related to jig arrangement        patterns prepared by applying at least one sub jig arrangement        pattern to each of the wire harness path patterns;    -   path decision information, which selects one wire harness path        pattern among the plurality of wire harness path patterns;    -   alternation information which indicates at least one of        alternation portions altered from the first pattern;    -   a jig arrangement pattern selector, which selects one jig        arrangement pattern corresponding to the selected wire harness        path pattern among the plurality of wire harness path patterns;        and    -   a path plan generator, which generates a path plan by        integrating the modified second sub pattern having the        alternation portions which is indicated in the alternation        information and the selected jig arrangement pattern.

In the above configuration, when the alternation information and thepath decision information are received, suitable path plan isimmediately provided. That is, this system can generate data, which isnecessary for the production of the wire harness, by alternating onlyalternation portions relating thereto according to the preliminarilyprovided standard database. Therefore, the number of interchanges ofdata between departments and that of iterative tasks caused at eachchange in a process of preparation for production of a wire harness,which are very large in a related system, are reduced. Consequently, apreparation time and the number of man-hours are considerably reduced.

Preferably, the system further comprising a jig arrangement board plangenerator, which generates a jig arrangement board plan in which a threedimensional extend elevation is based on the selected jig arrangementpattern.

Preferably, the sub wiring pattern modifier modifies the at least one offirst sub patterns according to at least one of data concerningautomatic machine conditions, special construction method verification,production requirements, and optimum circuit study.

In the above configuration, a more accurate path plan is provided.

Preferably, the system further comprising a wiring pattern informationstorage, which stores the standard wire harness wiring patterninformation; and

-   -   a path pattern information storage, which stores the wire        harness path pattern information.

In the above configuration, the production preparation time is morereduced by preliminarily generating or storing a plurality of standardsubdrawings, standard parts information, and standard jig drawing boardpatterns.

Preferably, the alteration of the second pattern is at least one of achange to specifications, an addition, and a system change of the atleast one of the parts, the electric circuits, and the wirings of thefirst pattern.

In the above configuration, the variations of the plurality of secondpattern are generated by assuming a change to the specifications, anaddition, and a system change, which are usually and frequently caused.Thus, accurate path plan is immediately provided.

Preferably, the wire harness is wired in a door portion of a vehicle,and wherein the simulator simulates a bending test of the wire harnesswired in the door portion.

In the above configuration, the wire harness is wired in the doorportion of the vehicle. Thus, the bending simulation relating to thewire harness of this door portion. Therefore, accurate life predictionof associated parts and a wire harness are enabled. Consequently, moreaccurate path plan drawing draft and jig drawing board draft can beprovided.

Here, it is preferable that the wiring pattern information storage andthe path pattern information storage are placed in a design departmentfor designing the wire harness,

-   -   wherein the modified wiring pattern generator, the simulator,        the sub wiring pattern modifier, the jig arrangement pattern        information generator, the jig arrangement pattern selector, the        path plan generator, and the parts information storage are        placed in a production department, connected to the design        department through a communicator,    -   wherein the path decision information and the alternation        information are transmitted from the design department to the        production department through the communicator, and    -   wherein the path plan are transmitted from the production        department to the design department through the communicator.

In the above configuration, a production preparation time and the numberof man-hours can be reduced still more.

Here, it is preferable that the design department belongs to a carmaker, and

-   -   wherein the production department belongs to a parts maker for        manufacturing the wire harness.

In the above configurations, efficient wire harness productionpreparation to be performed between the carmaker and the parts maker isenabled.

Preferably, the system further comprising a storage, which stores atleast one of the modified wire harness wiring pattern information, aresult simulated by the simulator, the at least one of first subpattern, the jig arrangement pattern information, the selected jigarrangement pattern, and the path plan.

Preferably, the simulator simulates an electric characteristic and adurability of the second pattern.

According to the present invention, there is also provided a method ofpreparing a wire harness production, comprising the steps of:

-   -   providing standard wire harness wiring pattern information        related to a first pattern including parts, electric circuits,        and wirings of a standard type vehicle;    -   generating modified wire harness wiring pattern information        related to at least one second pattern in which at least one of        the parts, the electric circuits, and the wirings of the first        pattern is altered;    -   providing parts specification information including        specifications of the parts, the electric circuits and the        wiring included in the second patterns;    -   simulating whether each of the second patterns is practical        while referring to the parts specification information;    -   modifying at least one of first sub patterns constituting the        first pattern to at least one of second sub patterns so as to        constitute the second pattern judged as practical by the        simulation step;    -   providing wire harness path pattern information related to a        plurality of wire harness path patterns of the standard type        vehicle;    -   generating jig arrangement pattern information related to jig        arrangement patterns prepared by applying at least one sub jig        arrangement pattern to each of the wire harness path patterns;    -   providing path decision information, which selects one wire        harness path pattern among the plurality of wire harness path        patterns;    -   providing alternation information, which indicates at least one        of alternation portions altered from the first pattern;    -   selecting one jig arrangement pattern corresponding to the        selected wire harness path pattern among the plurality of wire        harness path patterns; and    -   generating a path plan by integrating the modified second sub        pattern having the alternation portions which is indicated in        the alternation information and the selected jig arrangement        pattern.

Preferably, the at least one of first sub patterns are modified by atleast one of data concerning automatic machine conditions, specialconstruction method verification, production requirements, and optimumcircuit study.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above objects and advantages of the present invention will becomemore apparent by describing in detail preferred exemplary embodimentsthereof with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of asystem for preparing a wire harness production of the invention;

FIG. 2A is a diagram illustrating standard wire harness wiring diagramsaccording to this embodiment;

FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the standard wire harnesswiring diagrams;

FIG. 3 is diagram illustrating path patterns according to thisembodiment;

FIG. 4A is a diagram illustrating an example of a wire harness wiringdiagram pattern according to this embodiment;

FIG. 4B is an explanatory diagram illustrating this example;

FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating another example of a wire harnesswiring diagram pattern according to this embodiment.

FIG. 5B is an explanatory diagram illustrating this example;

FIG. 6A is a diagram illustrating another example of a wire harnesswiring diagram pattern according to this embodiment;

FIG. 6B is an explanatory diagram illustrating this example;

FIG. 7A is a diagram illustrating a standard subdrawing according tothis embodiment. FIG. 7B is an explanatory diagram illustrating thisstandard subdrawing;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are explanatory diagrams illustrating examples ofinformation compiled a database, which is obtained according to asimulation test in this embodiment;

FIG. 9A is an explanatory diagram illustrating a standard jig drawingboard pattern according to this embodiment;

FIG. 9B is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of jiginformation according to this embodiment; and

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of anoperation to be performed in a production preparation time in whichpreparation for production of a related vehicle wire harness isperformed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment of the invention is described below with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a basic configuration diagram illustrating an embodiment of asystem for preparing a wire harness production of the invention.Hereunder, the system for preparing a wire harness production of theinvention is described by taking a wire harness, which is wired in arear door portion of a vehicle, as an example. Further, it is assumedthat this embodiment is a system relating to an operation to beperformed in a production preparation time before a production processof a wire harness starts. Further, FIGS. 2A to 9B are explanatorydiagrams schematically illustrating various kinds of data, informationand drawings to be handled or caused in this system for preparing a wireharness production.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a design department and a productiondepartment are connected through a communication unit 17 in thisembodiment that is the system for preparing a wire harness production ofthe invention. Although the design department and the productiondepartment may be present in the same company, both these departmentsmay be provided so that the design department is provided in a carmaker,while the production department is provided in a parts makercommissioned by the carmaker to produce wire harnesses.

The design department is configured in such a way as to include astandard wire harness wiring diagram storage unit 1 and a path patternstorage unit 2. This standard wire harness wiring diagram storage unit 1preliminarily stores a standard wire harness wiring diagram includinginformation on parts, electric circuits, and wiring to be applied to astandard type vehicle. Further, the path pattern storage unit 2preliminarily stores a plurality of path patterns of the wire harness,which respectively correspond to a plurality of variations derived byadding or altering the parts, electric circuits, and wiring to beapplied to the standard type vehicle. Incidentally, the expression“standard type vehicle” indicates a normal type of vehicle among aplurality of types of vehicles. For example, what is called a standardspecification car and what is called a standard grade car.

It is assumed that there are, for example, three kinds HA, HB, and HC ofthe standard wire harness wiring diagrams, which respectively correspondto a pattern A, a pattern B, and a pattern C, as illustrated in FIG. 2A.These patterns indicate examples of employing options one or all ofoptions, for instance, an audio device (RAD), a door lock device (D/L),and a power window (P/W), as illustrated in FIG. 2A. That is, in thecase of the pattern A, all the options RAD, D/L, and P/W. In the case ofthe pattern B, only the option PNV is employed. Further, in the case ofthe pattern C, only the option D/L is employed. Incidentally, a numericvalue “10001” shown in FIG. 2B is a part number designating a specificpart of a vehicle, more particularly, a rear door part in this case. Thesame holds true for each of the drawings (to be described later).

Further, as illustrated in FIG. 3, it is assumed that there are threekinds of the path patterns respectively correspond to the pattern A, thepattern B, and the pattern C shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B. For instance, thepath pattern GA corresponding to the pattern A indicates that the wireharness 20 is connected to a speaker device 21, a motor device 22 forD/L, and a motor device 23 for P/W, which are needed when the wireharness 20 employ RAD, D/L and P/W, and that leads are wired so that thepath length is minimized. The path patterns GB, and GC respectivelycorrespond to the pattern B and the patter C indicate wire-harnesswiring patterns (not shown) established by taking parts foraccommodating devices, which are respectively needed by the patterns,into consideration.

On the other hand, the production department is configured in such a wayas to include a wire harness wiring diagram pattern generation unit 3, awire harness wiring diagram pattern storage unit 4, a standardsubdrawing generation unit 5, a standard subdrawing storage unit 6, asimulation unit 7, a standard parts information storage unit 8, asimulation result storage unit 9, a new subdrawing generation unit 10, anew subdrawing storage unit 11, a standard jig drawing board patterngeneration unit 12, a standard jig drawing board pattern storage unit13, a jig drawing board pattern selection unit 14, a jig drawing boarddraft generation unit 15, and a path plan draft generation unit 16.Further, the production department is connected to the design departmentthrough the communication unit 17. In the case that the designdepartment is included in a carmaker, and that the production departmentis included in a parts maker, the communication unit 17 includes leasedlines and a transmitter-receiver device to be connected to the leasedlines.

The wire harness wiring diagram pattern generation unit 3 generates aplurality of wire harness wiring diagram patterns respectivelycorresponding to a plurality of variations derived by addition oralteration of parts, electric circuits, and wires assumed from astandard wire harness wiring pattern, which is provided from the designdepartment and includes information concerning parts, electric circuits,and wires applied to a standard type vehicle. The wire harness wiringdiagram pattern storage unit 4 stores the plurality of wire harnesswiring diagram patterns. Incidentally, when wire harness wiring diagrampatterns are generated, the wire harness wiring diagram patterngeneration unit 3 may refer to the path patterns stored in the pathpattern storage unit 2.

For example, FIGS. 4A, 5A, and 6A illustrate the plurality of wireharness wiring diagram patterns respectively corresponding to theplurality of variations derived by the assumed addition or alteration.

A wire harness wiring diagram pattern PB1 illustrated in FIG. 4Acorresponds to a pattern obtained by adding D/L, which is designated byreference numeral 32 and is not employed in the pattern B initially, tothe pattern B, as illustrated in FIG. 4B. Incidentally, in this case, itis assumed that there is no circuit change to be caused in D/L. In thewire harness wiring pattern PB1, the wire harness is changed in responseto this addition, as indicated by reference numeral 31 in FIG. 4A.

A wire harness wiring diagram pattern PB1 illustrated in FIG. 5Acorresponds to a pattern obtained by newly adding an entry lamp (E/L),which is designated by reference numeral 34, to the pattern A, asillustrated in FIG. 5B. To the wire harness wiring pattern PA1, a wireharness and associated parts are newly added in response to thisaddition, as indicated by reference numeral 33 in FIG. 5A. Incidentally,the differences between the example shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B and theexample shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B is that the E/L, which is not employedin the pattern A, the pattern B, and the pattern C, is newly added tothe example of FIGS. 5A and 5B, whereas the example of FIGS. 4A and 4Bcorresponds to what is. called a change to the specification, accordingto which D/L originally employed in another pattern A is additionallyemployed in this wire harness wiring diagram pattern PB1.

A wire harness wiring diagram pattern PA2 shown in FIG. 6A correspondsto a pattern obtained by performing system change on D/L, which isoriginally employed and designated by reference numeral 37, to thepattern A, as illustrated in FIG. 6B. In response to this addition, thewire harness wiring pattern PA2 is changed so that an original wireharness is deleted, as indicated by reference numeral 35 in FIG. 6A,whereas a new wire harness is newly added thereto, as indicated byreference numeral 36.

Thus, the wire harness wiring diagram pattern generation unit 3 isadapted to generate variations of the plurality of standard wire harnesswiring diagram by assuming changes to the specification, additions, andsystem changes, which may usually and frequently occur. Therefore, thewire harness wiring diagram pattern generation unit 3 contributes toimmediate provision of a path plan draft as a practical one.Incidentally, in practical steps, a plurality of wire harness wiringdiagram patterns corresponding to the assumed variations in addition tothese three variations are generated and then stored by the wire harnesswiring diagram pattern generation unit 3.

The standard subdrawing generation unit 5 generates a plurality ofstandard subdrawings serving as constituent elements of the plurality ofwire harness wiring diagram patterns, and causes the standard subdrawingstorage unit 6 to store the generated standard subdrawings. Each of thewire harness wiring diagram patterns SA, SB, and SC is usuallyconstituted by a combination of standard subdrawings, as illustrated inFIG. 7A. For instance, as illustrated in FIG. 7B, a wire harness wiringdiagram SA corresponding to the pattern A is constituted by standardsubdrawings a, c, and e. Similarly, a standard subdrawing SBcorresponding to the pattern B is constituted by standard subdrawings a,b, c, d and e. A standard subdrawing SC corresponding to the pattern Cis constituted by standard subdrawings a, c, and e.

The simulation unit 7 performs electric characteristic simulation testsand durability simulation tests on these circuits according to theplurality of wire harness wiring diagram patterns, and standard partsinformation preliminarily stored in the standard parts informationstorage unit 8. Further, results of the simulation tests are stored inthe simulation result storage unit 9.

The standard parts information includes databased information obtainedby preliminarily testing the relation between stress and durability ateach temperature and the relation between occupancy and endurance of awire harness in a grommet correspondingly to each wire kind and eachwire diameter, as indicated by DB1, DB2, and DB3 of FIG. 8A and DB4 ofFIG. 8B, in addition to inherent information concerning connectors andgrommets.

According to such standard parts information, the simulation unit 7performs life prediction in the case where the wire harness is free, andlife prediction in the case where the wire harness is accommodated in agrommet. Especially, the accurate life prediction of a frequently bentpart, such as a rear door portion, is enabled by utilizing a databaseillustrated in FIGS. 8A and 8B, and by performing simulation accordingto the wire kind, the wire diameter, the occupancy of the wire harnessaccommodated in the grommet. Further, a bending simulation usingcomputer graphics, and tests for replicating a deflection characteristicand a jig characteristic may be performed.

Especially, accurate path plan draft and jig drawing board draft areenabled by performing the life prediction of the parts associated with adoor portion and of the wire harness in the bending simulation.

Incidentally, in addition to the simulation test, the simulation unit 7may assume a wire harness wired on an instrument panel and performsimulation tests of vibration characteristics, temperaturecharacteristics and fuse characteristics. Further, the simulation unit 7may assume a wire harness wired around an engine, and perform simulationtest of vibration characteristics, temperature characteristics, fusecharacteristics, waterproof characteristics, and soundproofcharacteristics.

The new subdrawing generation unit 10 generates new subdrawingsaccording to data concerning automatic machine conditions, specialconstruction method verification, production requirements, and optimumcircuit study in addition to results of the simulation tests and aplurality of standard subdrawings. Then, the new subdrawing generationunit 10 causes the new subdrawing storage unit 11 to store the generatednew subdrawings. The new subdrawing generation unit 10 generates newsubdrawings by utilizing, for instance, predetermined productionpreparation tools and performing automatic machine conditionverification, special construction method verification, productionrequirement study, and optimum circuit study. At that time, the newsubdrawing generation unit 10 may be adapted to refer to results ofsimulation tests, which include wire kinds and wire diameters, and aplurality of standard subdrawings.

Thus, information, which is effective when the path plan drawing draftof an optimum wire harness is generated, can be provided by generatingnew subdrawings according to data concerning the automatic machineconditions, special construction method verification, productionrequirements, and optimum circuit study in addition to results of thesimulation test, and a plurality of standard subdrawings.

On the other hand, the standard jig drawing board pattern generationunit 12 generates a plurality of standard jig drawing board patterns LA,LB, and LC respectively corresponding to path patterns GA, GB, and GC,as illustrated in FIG. 9A, according to a plurality of path patternssupplied from the design department and to jig information preliminarilystored in a jig information storage unit (not shown herein). Thestandard jig drawing board pattern generation unit 12 may be adapted torefer to the standard wire harness wiring diagrams stored in thestandard wire harness wiring drawing storage unit 1. Incidentally, jiginformation is databased in such a manner as to include items, such as aplatform, a car model, a part, a steering wheel, a grommet, a protector,R/B, and a part number. The standard jig drawing board patterngeneration unit 12 first receives the path patterns and retrieves thejig information and calls all the associated jig board patterns.Thereafter, standard jig drawing board pattern generation unit 12generates a plurality of standard jig drawing board patterns and causesthe standard jig drawing doard pattern storage unit 13 to store suchgenerated standard jig drawing board patterns.

Such plural standard jig drawing board patterns are generated accordingto the jig information and a plurality of path patterns preliminarilystored in the jig information storage unit. Hence, very practicalstandard jig drawing board patterns are generated.

Further, the jig drawing board pattern selection unit 14 selects anoptimum jig drawing board pattern from the plurality of standard jigdrawing board patterns, which are stored in the standard jig drawingboard pattern storage unit 13, according to the circuit designinformation, which is provided from the design department, and pathdecision information, that is, information indicating which of theplurality of path patterns is employed.

The jig drawing board draft generation unit 15 generates a jig drawingboard draft corresponding to the selected jig drawing board draftpattern. This jig drawing draft is, for instance, a 3D developmentdrawing generated by using graphic tools, and transmitted to the designdepartment together with data including the demand.

Further, when receiving diameter change information andaddition/alteration information corresponding to the standard typevehicle, which are sent from the design department, the path plan draftgeneration unit 16 generates path plan drawing draft corresponding tothe optimum wire harness according to the standard jig drawing boardpattern information and the new subdrawing in addition to the results ofthe simulation tests and the plurality of standard subdrawing so thatthe optimum wire harness is determined in such a way as to reflect suchinformation. At that time, the demands from the production departmentmay be included therein. Further, Further, the generated path plandrawing draft is transmitted to the design department together withassociated data.

The various units and the storage units provided in the productiondepartment are respectively implemented by software introduced into apersonal computer (PC) and a storage apparatus, such as a hard disk, tobe mounted on or connected to the PC.

In the above configuration, the wire harness wiring diagram patterngeneration unit 3 generates a plurality of wire harness wiring diagrampatterns corresponding to standard wire harness wiring diagrams, whichinclude information concerning parts, electric circuits, and wiringsapplied to the standard type vehicle, and variations of a plurality ofstandard wire harness wiring diagrams, which are derived byaddition/alteration of the parts, electric circuits, and wirings appliedto the standard type vehicle. Further, the standard subdrawinggeneration unit 5 generates a plurality of standard subdrawings that areconstituent elements of these wire harness wiring diagram patterns. Thenew subdrawing generation unit 10 generates new subdrawings.Furthermore, the simulation unit 7 performs simulation tests concerningelectric characteristics and durability thereof according to a pluralityof wire harness wiring diagram patterns, a plurality of path patterns ofthe plurality of wire harnesses corresponding to a standard typevehicle, and standard parts information. Furthermore, the data generatedby these unit 3, 5, 7 and 10 are stored in the storage units 4, 6, 9,and 11. Moreover, the plurality of standard jig drawing board patternsrespectively corresponding to a plurality of path patterns generated bythe standard jig drawing board pattern storage unit 12 are stored in thestandard jig drawing board pattern storage unit 13.

Further, when receiving alternation information corresponding to thestandard type vehicle, the path decision information indicating which ofa plurality of path patterns is employed, and circuit design informationconcerning the employed path pattern, the path plan draft generationunit 16 generates the path plan draft corresponding to an optimum wireharness according to the results of the simulation tests, a plurality ofstandard subdrawings, and a plurality of standard jig drawing boardpatterns. Further, the jig drawing board draft generation unit 15generates a optimum jig drawing draft according to the path decisioninformation, the circuit design information, and the standard jigdrawing board patterns. Thus, when receiving the alternationinformation, the path decision information, and the circuit designinformation, the path plan drawing draft corresponding to the suitablewire harness, and the jig drawing board draft can be immediatelyprovided.

More specifically, units for storing the standard wire harness wiringdiagrams and the wire harness wiring diagram patterns are placed in thedesign department. Units for generating wire harness wiring diagrams,pattern standard subdrawings, standard parts information, and standardjig drawing board patterns, and the path plan diagram draft and the jigdrawing board draft, and simulation unit are disposed in the productiondepartment. Further, the design department and the production departmentare connected to each other through the communication unit 17.Therefore, operations conforming to a job site of each of thedepartments can be efficiently performed. Moreover, when necessary, boththe departments are enabled to communicate with each other. Furthermore,in the case that the design department belongs to a carmaker, and thatthe production department belongs to a parts maker, more efficientpreparation for production of a wire harness can be performed.Consequently, a production preparation time and the number of man-hourscan be reduced still more.

Thus, according to the embodiment, data needed for manufacturing a wireharness is generated by correcting only respects relating to the changeaccording to a preliminarily prepared standard database. Therefore, thenumber of interchanges of data between the departments and that ofiterative tasks caused at each change in a process of preparation forproduction of a wire harness, which are very large in a related system,are reduced. Consequently, a preparation time and the number ofman-hours are considerably reduced. Furthermore, the productionpreparation time is more reduced by preliminarily generating or storinga plurality of standard subdrawings, standard parts information, andstandard jig drawing board patterns.

Incidentally, it is assumed that a wire harness to be wired in the reardoor portion is provided in the embodiment. A part, to which theinvention is applied, is not limited to the rear door portion. Further,the drawings and data to be used in the system according to theinvention are not limited to those exemplified in the foregoingdescription of the embodiment. Thus, such drawings and data may bechanged in view of current conditions. Additionally, needless to say,various modifications made without departing from the technical idea ofthe invention are included in the scope of the invention.

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A method of preparing a wire harness production,comprising the steps of: providing standard wire harness wiring patterninformation related to a first pattern including parts, electriccircuits, and wirings of a standard type vehicle; generating modifiedwire harness wiring pattern information related to at least one secondpattern in which at least one of the parts, the electric circuits, andthe wirings of the first pattern is altered; providing partsspecification information including specifications of the parts, theelectric circuits and the wiring included in the second patterns;simulating whether each of the second patterns is practical whilereferring to the parts specification information; modifying at least oneof first sub patterns constituting the first pattern to at least one ofsecond sub patterns so as to constitute the second pattern judged aspractical by the simulation step; providing wire harness path patterninformation related to a plurality of wire harness path patterns of thestandard type vehicle; generating jig arrangement pattern informationrelated to jig arrangement patterns prepared by applying at least onesub jig arrangement pattern to each of the wire harness path patterns;providing path decision information, which selects one wire harness pathpattern among the plurality of wire harness path patterns; providingalternation information, which indicates at least one of alternationportions altered from the first pattern; selecting one jig arrangementpattern corresponding to the selected wire harness path pattern amongthe plurality of wire harness path patterns; and generating a path planby integrating the modified second sub pattern having the alternationportions which is indicated in the alternation information and theselected jig arrangement pattern.
 12. The method as set forth in claim10, wherein the at least one of first sub patterns are modified by atleast one of data concerning automatic machine conditions, specialconstruction method verification, production requirements, and optimumcircuit study.